Newtown school board greets Sandy Hook skeptics with silence

Wolfgang Halbig, a former Florida State Trooper and school principal, asks questions about the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting during the public participation section of the Board of Education meeting at the Newtown Municipal Center Council Chambers in Newtown, Conn. Tuesday, May 6, 2014. Photo: Tyler Sizemore

NEWTOWN — They came and they spoke, but their words fell flat with a respectful but thoroughly disgusted audience.

A dozen or so self-described skeptics of official accounts of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting appeared Tuesday night at the Board of Education meeting, each taking the allotted three minutes to address pointed questions to board members.

Wolfgang Halbig, the most prominent member of the group, raised questions about everything from the scale of police response that day to their refusal to accept his expert help in analyzing the event. He suggested that his legitimate efforts to get answers have been thwarted, and accused board members of toeing an official line.

But board members refused to take the bait, remaining silent throughout presentations by Halbig and several of his supporters who followed him to the microphone. The audience, which included First Selectman Pat Llodra and several other town officials who had come to support the board, also stayed silent.

The only public response came from Newtown resident Jim Fitzpatrick, who was the last to speak. Unable to let this group have the last word, he said, “It’s a shame to see this circus come to town, and I’m offended by the people who have come, and these conspiracy theories. Newtown has conducted itself wonderfully.”

He was greeted with a round of light applause, quickly waved silent by board Chairwoman Debbie Leidlein.